Child&#39;s building block



June'9, 1 931. I w COLBY I 1,809,508

CHILD'S BUILDING BLOCK Filed- NOV. 22. 1929 Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED 'sTA-T Es PATENT OFFICE WILLIS H. COLBY, OF MOREHEAD CITY, NORTH CAROLINA CHILDS BUILDING BLOCK Application filed November 22, 1929. Serial No. 409,097.

This invention aims to provide novel means for interlocking and connecting blocks of the kind used by children in building toy houses, and other structures.

It is within the province. of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, within the scope of what is claimed," without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in perspective, a piece of wall constructed in accordance with the invention, parts beingbroken away;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of a partly erected wall, parts being in elevation;

Figure 3 is a of the blocks;

Figure4 is a perspective view of the key;

Figure 5 is a perspective disclosing a modified block.

The block shown in Figure 3 is marked by the numerall and has rectangular slots in its ends. The slots are marked by the numeral 2.

Pins 3 project from one side of the block 1, and the opposite side of the block is provided with holes 4 ada ted to receive one or both ofthe pins of a similar block, the holes 4 being counter-sunk, as at 5, and the, pins 3 being pointed, as shown at 6, if preferred, to facilitate the insertion of the pins 3 of one block into the holes 4 of one or more adjoining blocks, when the blocks are laid in superposed courses, as indicated in Figure 1:.

When the blocks are arranged; as before described, the slots 2 in the ends" of adjoining blocks are in registration, and rectangular keys 7 may he slid into the registering slots,

the keys 7 fitting closely but slidablyin the registering slots. 7 At 'the corners of the structure, corner blocks 8 are provided. One end .face 9- of the perspective view showing one I corner block has no slot in it, but is plain. The block 8 has a slot 28 in one side, and this slot cooperates with one of the slots 2 of an adjoining block to receive the key 7.

The block may be made in various ways and of various sizes.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, there is disclosed a rectangular block provided at one end 11 with a rectangular slot 12, and provided at the opposite end with a rectangular slot 14, the slots being of the same size and shape. The block is providedon one side 15 with projecting ins 16 which may be pointed, as shown at The block is provided on its opposite side 18 with an opening 19 which is counter-sunk, as shown at 20, the o ning 19 being so shaped as to receive t e pin of a similar block. The side 18 of the block has a transverse slot 21 disposed at right angles to the slots 12 and 14 in the respective ends 11 and 10 of the block.

The transverse slot 21 is spaced from one end 11 by a distance 22 equal to the distance 23 between either of the slots 12-14 in the ends of the block and the remaining side 24 of the block. 4

As a conse uence, when the removable key is slid into t e registering slots 21 and 12, the block shown in Figure 5 will not project at its end beyond the side of the block to which it is coupled by the key 7. Several of the blocks shown in Figure 5, therefore, may be placed vertically, to form, for instance, the post of a door or window, and to the uppermost of the said blocks m'aybe coupled one of a lurality of like horizontally disposed bloc s, which form the lintel. Various materials of construction can be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. If desired, the blocks may be made of wood, .and the pins may be made of metal, although this selection of materials is not insisted upon.

What is claimed is: A rectangular block of the class described, provided in its ends with like slots, the block being supplied on one side with projecting pins spaced apart longitudinally of the block, the block being provided on its opposite side with .an opening so shaped as to receive the 2 momma pin of a similar block, the last-specified side of the block having a transverse slot disposed at right angles to the slots in the ends .of the blocks of the same size and shape as the slots in the ends of the block, the transverse slot being spaced from one end of the block by a distance equal to the distance between either of the slots in the ends of the block and the remaining side of the block.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own. I have hereto affixed my signature.

WILLIS H. COLBY. v 

